Melinda Ashton Turner is an Interiors Stylist. Originally trained as an Interior Designer, Melinda has been working as Interior Stylist and Art Director since 1990. Over her career she has been Style Editor of Australian Vogue Living, Decoration Editor of Homes & Gardens UK and Style Director of Inside Out (UK).

New Trends are Afoot…

Flooring is to interiors like shoes are to an outfit. There are many to choose from but when you find the right pair the look is completed and you feel a million dollars. Similarly, finding the right carpet or rug will result in an interior being well rounded both in colour and design.

To build a strong interior scheme you need to build it from the ground up. Hence, the style of flooring and its colour should not be given less consideration than purchasing curtains. Once upon a time it was simply a case of a Berber carpet or, in the case of our family home, a muted grey wall-to-wall floral carpet. For many years the choice of carpet was taken from a utilitarian approach with mottled beige designs and solid colours being advised as the better option. They were a neutral base, hard wearing and most common reason, they hide the dirt.

As time has progressed as has our choice of pattern and colour have dramatically changed. We focus our selection more closely on how it can extend an interior theme and colour palette as opposed to being a safe choice. We are more confident and comfortable with showing our personality. The trend to towards featuring dotted and striped patterned carpets is becoming increasingly popular in areas such as entrances and stairwells. These areas are generally void of character but are now seen as an opportunity to have fun and make a statement from the get go. Together with the use of multiple colours they are seen as a way to connect colours of various rooms throughout the home. Or vice versa, to initiate a home’s colour palette.

Pattern is only one development, the introduction of colour is another. We are inspired by the wide variety of images available via blogs showing different style interiors and colour schemes. We’re influenced on a subconscious level by viral media such as pinterest and blogs making us feel more comfortable with introducing colours and ideas into our own homes. For economic reasons we are staying home and entertaining more resulting in us wanting to update our homes. No matter the industry you are in we are encouraged to think outside the box and reflect our own style within our homes. The social trend is to embrace your quirky and eccentric side. With our newfound understanding of how colour, texture and pattern are all needed to create a dynamic interior, we are looking for ways to incorporate these into our homes.

Choosing colour for your floor shouldn’t be decided on the colour of the year. I doubt we’ll see 2013 trend of Pantone Emerald Green appearing as rugs or wall-to-wall carpet but what you might notice are rugs with emerald green binding. Colour and design trends for flooring work along side the fashion must haves. Each year new carpet colours are released taking into consideration how we are living and wall colours we are choosing. The colour and design of your flooring will be decided by your colour scheme and commercially what is on offer in terms of style and design.

Whether you have the confidence to have Alternative’s Quirky Skinny design as wall-to-wall carpet or as a bordered rug in the living room. Or to combine plain wool or sisal with an emerald green border, we are starting to think laterally as to how we can balance our economical discussions of practicality and budgets with wanting to introduce trends and the urge to show our character. Consider layering designs on the floor as you would cushions on the sofa. Use complementary rug designs and colours to highlight different functions within a room and you’ll create a room with a room so to speak. And in doing so add a sense of drama and texture though the change of pattern.

Referring back to my shoe and carpet analogy, there are various styles of shoes you can wear to work it’s just a matter of what image you want to portray. There is no right or wrong, it’s simply a matter of what you best reflects your personality or interior.